Amsterdam Wiki
Overview This comprehensive look inside the history of the largest city in the Netherlands is categorized into three primary sections: The Beginnings, spanning from 1204 to approximately 1556, The Middle Ages from 1556 to 1800, and Modern Amsterdam from 1800 to the present that offer a detailed account of the significant events in Amsterdam's history that led to its development into its current status as the "magical center of Europe." By examining its geography and demographics, politics, economics, and culture, it becomes apparent that Amsterdam has played and continues to play a vital role in the formation of European ideals. The overarching concepts that this site aims to address are the following: how the shifting definition of Europe has affected Amsterdam; how this city has contributed to the idea of Europe; and how Amsterdam relates to the current idea of Europe. Timeline Geography Amsterdam is the largest city in the Netherlands, followed by Rotterdam and The Hague, and the country's capital since around 1814. Located in the western portion of the Netherlands in the province of North Holland, it has become the hub of over one hundred kilometers of canals that began to be constructed shortly after the city's inception. The three primary channels are Prinsengracht, Herengracht, and Keizersgracht, all accessible by boat, and the sheer number of waterways dividing the city into almost 90 islands with over 1,000 bridges has deemed Amsterdam "The Venice of the North." The river Amstel — the obvious origin of the name of the city itself — is located in the center of Amsterdam, connected to the various canals that all end at Amsterdam's riverfront, the IJsselmeer. The city is also connected to the North Sea via the North Sea Canal and is situated only two meters above sea level surrounded by largely flat, low-lying land formed by a system of dikes. Due to its prime location as a seaport, the city has been dominated by trade since its beginning. Below is a series of maps that chart the progression and development of Amsterdam and its surrounding area: Vroegste kaart amsterdam-nrs.jpg|Earliest map of Amsterdam Cornelis anthonisz vogelvluchtkaart amsterdam.JPG|1544 Amsterdam Amsterdam map current.jpg|Amsterdam today During the Middle Ages, Amsterdam was surrounded by the moat called Singel, which now comprises the innermost ring in the city, resembling a horseshoe. MORE INFO (insert map from Dutch Golden Age era) Present day Amsterdam is approximately two hundred and twenty square miles of high urbanization. However, parks and nature reserves, including the man-made forest Amsterdamse Bos, encompass 12% of the city's topography. Amsterdam is within seventy-five kilometers of Rotterdam, as well as Utrecht and The Hague, and travel by train is one of the more popular modes of transport. Demography (insert image) Brief info about first inhabitants (where they were from, approximate number, etc.) During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the majority of non-Dutch immigrants were Flemings and Sefardic Jews. Additionally, the Huguenots — or French Calvinists — moved to Amsterdam after the Louis XIV's 1685 Edict of Fontainbleau that effectively denied them the right to practice their religion without persecution from the state, spurring them to establish the Dutch Reformed Church. The Huguenots comprised as much as 20% of the city's inhabitants by 1700. Similarly, the Flemish Protestants came during the Eighty Years' War upon William of Orange's suggestion to join the Union. The Westphalians also had a prominent presence in the city during this time, having moved mostly for economic boons. Due to the apparent religious diversity among immigrants, several non-Dutch-speaking religious insitutions were erected. Before World War II, 10% of Amsterdam's population was Jewish. Nicknaming the city "Jerusalem of the West" to signify their feelings of acceptance, this religious sect began practicing in the city prior to the first documentation of a Jewish service in 1603 and the construction of the first synagogue in 1639. The mass immigration of the twentieth century were primarily by Indonesians after the independence of the Dutch East Indies in the 1940s and 1950s, followed by Turks, Moroccans, Italians, and the Spanish a decade later. A large portion of Surinamese settled in Amsterdam in 1975 after Surinam's independence, while refugees and illegal immigrants moved from Europe, The United States, Asia, and Africa and settled in social housing projects throughout the city. The Netherlands is currently the most densely populated country with nearly five hundred residents per square kilometer. Caucasian Dutch people of Germanic or Celtic descent make up 81% of the Netherlands' popluation. Specific to Amsterdam, it has a city population of approximately 820,250, an urban population of 1,209,400, and a metropolitan population of 2,289,800. The 2012 Census documented that nearly half (49.5%) of the city's population was of Dutch ancestry and the remaining half (50.5%) was of foreign origin. People of non-Western origin make up a surprising one-third of the city's population. From the mid-twentieth century onward, Amsterdam quickly became an urban melting pot for minority populations across the globe. The Beginnings (1204-1556) (insert image) The term 'Amsterdam' was first used in 1275... The first mention of inhabitants on the geographic location of modern Amsterdam surfaced in 1204. In 1275, Amstelland fell under the jurisdiction of Floris V, an executor acting on behalf of the Bishop of Utretch. City Charter (1300) The Bishop of Utretch, Gwijde van Henegouwen, granted Amsterdam city rights. Trade (insert image) Early Modern Period (1568-1800) Brief intro (insert image) Eighty Years War (1568-1648) (insert image) Dutch Revolt and Conflict with Spain (insert image) The Dutch Republic Expansion and the Golden Age (insert image) War with England and Economic Decline (insert image) The End of the Dutch Republic (year?) (insert image) Modern Amsterdam (1800-present) By the start of the 20th century, Amsterdam had been deemed the "magical center of Europe" and the second most attractive city in Europe, coming in directly after London. (insert image) World War II (1939-1945) (insert image) Industrial Revolution (year?-year?) (insert image) Amsterdam-Rijn Canal (insert image) Amsterdam's Second Golden Age (insert image) Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) (insert image) Present Day Amsterdam Amsterdam today is a thriving city, bustling with business people and tourists from all over the world. Language (insert image of Netherlands flag) Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands and is widely spoken in the city of Amsterdam. Interestingly enough, most Dutch people speak at least one foreign language – for many, it is English, since it is taught during basic education. German is also a popular language due to its phonetic similarities to Dutch; likewise with French. Additionally, Turkish and Arabic are frequently heard among the Muslim populations. Religion (insert image of religious building) Amsterdam identified as a Roman Catholic entity until 1578 when the city joined the revolt against Spanish rule, and per the Protestant protocol at the time, all of its churches were converted to Protestant worship. More specifically, Calvinism became the presiding religion, and though Catholicism was not explicitly forbidden and priests were allowed to practice, the Catholic hierarchy was nonetheless prohibited. As a result, Catholics began to practice in unassuming canal side homes, known as covert churches, or schuilkerken. Despite this general shift towards Protestantism, a higher percentage of Dutch are Catholic (31%) than are Protestant (21%) today. According to the 2000 Census, Christians are the largest religious group in Amsterdam (17%) — accounting for both Roman Catholics and Protestants — and Islam is the second largest (14%), most of which are Sunni. Education (insert image of University of Amsterdam) Education is highly regarding in the Netherlands, particularly in Amsterdam. The city's two universities — the University of Amsterdam (Universiteit van Amsterdam) and the VU University Amsterdam (Vriji Universiteit) are popular institutions with enrollment numbers of up to 33,000 students each. For artists who wish to be classically trained, the Rietveld School of Art & Design (Gerrit Rietveld Academie) and Amsterdam School of the Arts (Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten) are all highly-esteemed art centers. Also, the city's International Institute of Social History serves as one of the world's largest research institutions for social history, particularly concerning the labor movement. Similar to the tenets of Montessori schools, Amsterdam's primary schools promote individualized learning, though many are based on religion. Originally, such institutions were either Roman Catholic or a variety of Protestant, yet with the rise of immigrants throughout the twentieth century, the city saw an increase in both Islamic and Jewish schools. During this stage of educational development, students are taught a classical curriculum, including Latin and Greek. Music (insert image of famous musician) Art and Architecture (insert image of famous museum) Museums Home of the iconic Anne Frank, Festivals and Holidays Amsterdam Gay Pride (known as Gay Capital of Europe) Sources *"Amsterdam." Lonely Planet. 2013. 14 March 2013. Online. *"The Amsterdam Canal Project." Shifting Lands. ''2004-2010. 1 March 2013. Online. *Davies, Norman. ''Europe: A History. New York: Harper Perennial, 1998. Print. *Pagden, Anthony, ed. The Idea of Europe: From Antiquity to the European Union. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print. * SEO Economisch Onderzoek. “Amsterdam, Netherlands: Self-Evaluation Report.” OECD '' Reviews of Higher Education in Regional and City Development''. 2009. 16 March 2013. Online. *"Short History of the Netherlands." Amsterdam Info. 2003-2013. 3 March 2013. Online. *“Timeline: The Netherlands.” BBC News. 2013. 1 March 2013. Online. *Wilson, Kevin and Han van der Dussen, eds. The History of the Idea of Europe. New York: The Open University, 1993. Print. DON'T FORGET TO CITE IMAGES Category:Browse